One example of a motorized device that uses a trigger assembly is a dispensing tool. Dispensing tools have been available for a number of years, assisting in the application of material to a desired surface in residential, commercial, or manufacturing environments. Such materials include, for example, adhesives, lubricants, and sealants such as, silicone, urethanes, and caulk. Conventional dispensing tools frequently visualized are of the type of a Handheld caulk gun, as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 8,950,627 that issued on Feb. 10, 2015 and is assigned to the assignee of the present disclosure (hereinafter “the '627 patent”). The '627 patent is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
Cartridges having any number of different types of materials, including those listed above are inserted into a cartridge support sleeve located on the top side of the dispensing tool or handheld caulk gun. A manual trigger on the gun when actuated drives a rack having a plunger or piston that engages the material located in the cartridge such that each actuation of the trigger, forces material to be dispensed from a nozzle located at an end of the cartridge.
A more modern dispensing tool for applying various materials, including those materials listed above is a power dispensing gun as also described in detail and illustrated in the '627 patent. The power dispensing gun includes a battery, pneumatic, or other means for powering motor for portable use. The power dispensing gun is also capable of using the cartridges filled with dispensing material by inserting the cartridges into a support sleeve located on the top of the power dispensing gun. A trigger on the power dispensing gun is actuated, driving a rack having a plunger or piston that engages the material located in the cartridge such that each actuation of the trigger forces material to be dispensed from a nozzle located at the end of the gun.
Further details of the operation and configuration of a power dispensing gun are also explained for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,889,872 entitled ELECTRIC TWO PART MATERIAL DISPENSER that issued on May 10, 2005, U.S. Pat. No. 8,020,727 entitled POWER DISPENSING TOOL AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING SAME that issued on Sep. 20, 2011, and International Patent Application Serial No. PCT/US2017/22634 entitled BATTERY POWERED DISPENSER FOR ONE AND TWO COMPONENT FOILS AND CARTRIDGES that was filed on Mar. 16, 2017 and published on Sep. 21, 2017 under international publication no. WO/2017/161073. The above-identified patents and publication are assigned to the assignee of the present application and incorporated herein by reference in their entireties for all purposes.
Cartridges are not the only form of container for holding material used by the dispensing guns, but another known type of container is a sausage pack or bag-type containers are also used. The sausage pack has a first and a second end spaced about a body having dispensing material therein. The sausage pack during use is positioned in a housing tube or barrel located on the guns in place of the cartridge support sleeves. The sausage pack once inserted into the guns has an opening typically formed from removal of a containment ring or by piercing the sausage pack toward the nozzle and the plunger squeezes the material out the nozzle when the trigger is engaged.
One example of a dispensing tool having interchanging support sleeves includes U.S. Pat. No. 8,393,501 entitled DISPENSING TOOL that issued on Mar. 12, 2013, is assigned to the assignee of the present disclosure, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. The '501 patent illustrates a system for interchanging support sleeves from a cartridge-type dispenser to a sausage pack dispenser and vice versa as desired by the operator on a single power dispenser.
Sausage packs are typically more economical because of their cheaper fabrication. As a result, the sausage packs are typically used more frequently in high volume commercial and manufacturing operations over conventional cartridges in material dispensing guns.